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Thread: Turtles ?
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04-04-2020, 06:48 PM #21
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04-04-2020, 09:39 PM #22
I've got a baby musk turtle in with my tropical fish and hes the best!! Awesome to watch and very entertaining. I'd highly reccomend one as they will only grow to around 4 inches. However they will eat any fish they can catch. I will soon be changing my tank to african cichlids as they are aggressive and will keep it in its place when he gets too big for his boots!
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04-04-2020, 10:08 PM #23
Yep its me I have a Common musk turtle. I rescued mine, so it wasn't a very informed decision, but here's what I have found out so far: They are ideal for uk ponds as they live as far up as Ontario Canada. They can be almost entirely aquatic. They breath under water through a weird organ in their tongue (not a cloaca like other aquatic turtles). Which means they can hibernate in the water. However, in the summer they will come out to bask if they fancy it, which brings you round to the first koi pond related issue. THEY CAN'T SWIM! They will barely get a foot or so off the bottom before giving up. Mine scrabbles at the sides and stayed on the bottom all winter until I put a ramp all the way to the pond floor. They much prefer a pond with gently sloping sides and full of leaf litter at the bottom for catching bugs.
They lurk motionless at the bottom, in the crud and ambush their prey. From the limited experiences I have observing mine, it's not going to dent a population of healthy fry unless they are unlucky enough to swim within 1cm from its mouth, on the floor. The main body of water it can't reach.
Mine seems pleasant enough. He doesn't try and bite me, and I've seen others pester their owners for food when they're hungry, so they're obviously not daft and in time can be about as interactive as a friendly koi.
I'm not heated, and they remain inactive until about 10 to 12 degrees depending on the turtle. I've yet to see mine eat other than the disappearance of all the elodea in the pond. Turtle pellets are not expensive and can supplement with all sorts of koi friendly treats. Meal worms, earth worms, prawns etc..
No idea what I'm gonna do with him in the big pond? Probably will have some plants in anoxic baskets a little bit like this, but a fibreglass tray hanging in the water along the back of my pond. Maybe a ramp up to that for him?
Last edited by Alburglar; 05-04-2020 at 10:40 AM.
2660 Gallons. 4" Bottom Drain and Skimmer. Draco Solum 16 Drum. Anoxic Filtration. Air lift returns.
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05-04-2020, 10:39 PM #24
don't bother, its not a pet that does much, needs a fair amount of work for what you get back and would need a setup where there is no chance of escape to be legal,
had red ears for a while, they got dinner plate sized, got to reproductive maturity and besides laying some eggs did not do much, besides crap a lot and make for frequent cleaning and a very large filterthe slow pond build thread
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25-10-2023, 07:10 AM #25
I totally get what you mean about turtles; they might not be everyone's cup of tea as pets. I had a similar experience with red-eared sliders, and you're right, they do need a dedicated setup. But I have to say, they can be fascinating creatures if you're into reptiles. If you're considering a pet turtle or tortoise, you might want to check out tortoiseowner.com. They've got tons of helpful info and a supportive community to guide you through the process. Plus, you can find the perfect setup to keep your shelled friend happy and healthy!
Last edited by MariannaWu; 28-10-2023 at 02:03 PM.
Running heater at low temp?
Covering the pond with polycarb should be enough to stop water temps dipping below 6C for the most...